The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to electrical connectors that utilize differential pairs and experience offending crosstalk and/or return loss.
The electrical connectors that are commonly used in telecommunication systems, such as modular jacks and modular plugs, may provide interfaces between successive runs of cable in such systems and between cables and electronic devices. The electrical connectors may include contacts that are arranged according to known industry standards, such as Electronics Industries Alliance/Telecommunications Industry Association (“EIA/TIA”)-568. However, the performance of the electrical connectors may be negatively affected by, for example, near-end crosstalk (NEXT) loss and/or return loss. Accordingly, in order to improve the performance of the connectors, techniques are used to provide compensation for the NEXT loss and/or to improve the return loss. Such known techniques have focused on arranging the contacts with respect to each other within the electrical connector and/or introducing components to provide the compensation, e.g., compensating NEXT. For example, the compensating signals may be created by crossing the conductors such that a coupling polarity between the two conductors is reversed or the compensating signals may be created by using discrete components.
One known technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,358 (“the '358 patent”). The patent discloses an electrical connector that introduces predetermined amounts of compensation between two pairs of conductors that extend from input terminals to output terminals along an interconnection path. Electrical signals on one pair of conductors are coupled onto the other pair of conductors in two or more compensation stages that are time delayed with respect to each other. However, the techniques described in the '358 patent have limited capabilities for providing crosstalk compensation and/or improving return loss.
Thus, there is a need for additional techniques to improve the electrical performance of the electrical connector by reducing crosstalk and/or by improving return loss.